But don’t start freaking out just yet. If you and your partner retain open communication and consideration of each other’s feelings, it’s likely you’ll make it into the new year. (Suus Wansink/The Daily Campus)

With looming finals stressing everyone out and only the distant promise of Christmas keeping everyone motivated, you might be thinking that the last day of classes is going to be an amazing relief. Well, if you’re single it might be. But if you’re nursing a college relationship, you should keep on your toes. Relationships are at their most vulnerable for a break up two weeks before Christmas.

Rebecca Adams’ article “Why Holiday Season Might Be Prime Time For Breakups” tries to explain why this seasonal bummer happens. Adams cites psychologist Suzanne Lachmann’s theory that the holiday season usually comes with a set of expectations. And even if you don’t realize you have them, you could be setting yourself up for disappointment if your partner falls through. This can be spiked by the exchange of gifts, especially if you received one you didn’t like or if they didn’t seem to like theirs, or by gatherings of friends or family. Meeting family is usually a problem for newer couples, and can cause a break up if your partner doesn’t try hard enough to impress them or if your family ends up disliking them. It can also affect older relationships if you or your partner are having doubts about each other and don’t want to have to fake love in front of relatives. But above all, the concept of the new year may cause you to reflect on your relationship and decide you’d rather have a fresh start without them.

Rich Santos’ article “Most Popular Times of The Year For Breaking Up” tries to explain the thinking behind breaking up a little before the holidays. He claims that those who want to end their relationship don’t want to do it during the actual holidays because that would be too cruel. But it would also be incredibly awkward to do it just after spending time with all of your partners’ friends and family. Thus, it’s better to skip out on spending winter break with them entirely.

Victoria Stokes’ article “Make or Break: Could Going On Holidays With Your Fella Really Ruin Your Relationship” basically claims that the plot of the movie “Just Married” may be waiting for you and your partner if you try and take a trip together this break. New couples especially should be wary, since unlike older couples, they haven’t spent extended time alone with their partner. Holidays amplify the fact that different people have different tastes and flaws that might not cohere with your own. In fact, Stokes’ article claims one in 10 couples end it before they even make it back home.

But don’t start freaking out just yet. If you and your partner retain open communication and consideration of each other’s feelings, it’s likely you’ll make it into the new year. And after that it’ll be easy riding until Valentine’s Day.

If you have any questions or need any dating advice, feel free to contact me at rebecca.l.maher@uconn.edu. I’m positive other people are facing the same romantic problems as you, and would love to hear an answer. Have a nice break!